New Music Friday! Gear up for a fresh wave of sonic delights. This week brings a diverse selection of new music from established artists and rising stars alike. Get ready to discover your next favorite song!
NICOLE SHORTLAND – BLOW
Pushing towards bigger things in 2024, Nicole Shortland now shares new music with her single ‘Blow’. Listen HERE.
Making the most of music’s purest traits: Nicole’s bright, naturally charming vocal and heartening melodies given a warm country embrace with slide guitar and banjo, yet with a vibrant pop immediacy. ‘Blow’ is also a song that delivers a central lyric that’s both straight-to-the-heart and inspiringly self-confident: “I just thought you should know: don’t be careful you might hurt me, be careful because I might just blow.”
While ‘Blow’ is specifically about setting standards in a relationship, it’s a lyric that could be applied to other conflicts in life, such as Nicole’s experiences in the music industry.
HARLEYMOON KEMP – LONE RANGER
Harleymoon Kemp release her eagerly anticipated debut EP ‘Lone Ranger’. Listen HERE. It’s accompanied by the EP’s new single and title track.
Harleymoon says, “The EP is just more encounters that I hope everyone makes their own. Lone Ranger was written after a one night crush with a total cowboy. Faith in You was about really feeling safe in your home with your friend, lover or family and it’s a duet with incredible Alex Francis who I met in Nashville on a writing camp, he’s also James Bays brother and has that indie crunchy beautiful tone in his voice. America was written on a female writing camp and produced in Nashville.. so great for anyone digging country cross over sounds!
After ‘What Good Looks Like’ provides a classy introduction to the EP, ‘Lone Ranger’ sees Harleymoon raise the temperature with a stomping, sassy strut full of dancefloor fun and self-empowerment. While her heartfelt, authentic storytelling is her key strength throughout the set, it also displays her versatility. The warm production of ‘Faith In You’ feels as natural as if you’re witnessing Harleymoon’s live band, while her already vivacious voice is complemented by male vocal harmonies courtesy of Alex Francis. Its final song ‘America’ brings the energy back, this time with a luminous summer-pop edge as she uses the American dream as a metaphor for the potential of a new love.
MAYA LANE – DIARY OF AN OVERTHINKER
Rising pop-country star Maya Lane today releases her second EP ‘Diary Of An Overthinker’. Listen HERE.
If you’re inclined to over-analyse situations, second guess yourself or read too much into everyday interactions, ‘Diary Of An Overthinker’ will provide you with plenty to relate to. Maya has channelled such thoughts into her lyrics, resulting in songs which tackle the thoughts that keep you awake at night – feelings of being inadequate, or of being betrayed, or realising you should’ve taken your friend’s advice, or simply wanting to escape from having all of these things whirling around your mind. But it also offers a little empowerment as you begin to realise the power of friendship and the strength that comes as you learn to deal with such dilemmas yourself.
Maya says, “‘Diary Of An Overthinker’ is a collection of songs that dive into my inner world, with each song acting like a journal entry giving you a peek into my life, both the real and imagined. The EP touches on the themes of second-guessing, anxiety, escapism and relationships (whether that be with others or myself).
THE SHERLOCKS – DEATH OF ME
Next Friday will see The Sherlocks celebrate the 10th anniversary of their first ever release by playing a special 7500-capacity homecoming show at Sheffield’s Don Valley Bowl. Building towards what will surely be an unforgettable occasion for the band and their fans alike, The Sherlocks today share the brand new music ‘Death of Me’. LISTEN HERE
‘Death of Me’ is a twist on The Sherlocks’ sound, their flair for anthemic larger-than-life hooks, feelgood vibes and energetic escapism now leaning into synth-rock territory without losing any of their dynamic spark. Lyrically it’s perfectly circular for this moment in time – their first demo release in 2014 celebrated the rush of being able to ‘Live For The Moment’ and that idea is explored again here, albeit from the perspective of adult life rather than the naivety of youth. The track was produced by David Radahd-Jones.
Vocalist/guitarist Kiaran Crook says, “This feels like the freshest thing we’ve done in a while in the sense that we know we can write and record rock ‘n’ roll tunes no problem, and don’t get me wrong we love doing that! But this song came about and immediately felt different, almost like it wasn’t crying out for guitars quite as much. We gave the song a minimalistic approach in many ways and I think it ended up sounding like nothing we’ve done before because of that.”
IMOGEN CLARK – THE ART OF GETTING THROUGH
AIR award-nominated singer-songwriter Imogen Clark releases new music with her album The Art Of Getting Through and also announces two live dates in the UK on 10th July at The Green Note in London and 14th July in Nottingham at Running Horse Live. Listen to The Art Of Getting Through here
Imogen explains “These songs are about the messiness of life, the layers of injury and hurt that build resilience and how you never really get a clean slate or a fresh start. There is no starting over, there is only getting through”.
Imogen stands as a testament to the power of transcending one’s familiar boundaries, a journey fueled by her roots and an unwavering ambition that has taken her from the teenager who honed her chops playing Western Sydney bars to global stages from the US to Europe. As she establishes herself into a vibrant new city and releases The Art Of Getting Through into the world, this is truly only just the beginning.
KRIS JAMES – HOLD ON
Kris James, the dynamic UK-based singer-songwriter, is once again pushing the boundaries of musical innovation with the upcoming release of new music and his single “Hold On”. This latest project follows his previous single “Forever Forever”, which was also released in multiple languages. Building on this achievement, “Hold On” will not only be available in English but also in Japanese, German, French, and Spanish, all performed using Kris’ own melodious vocals. Listen HERE.
Kris has been recording at the iconic Motor Museum in Liverpool, a studio renowned for its history of legendary recordings by artists such as The 1975, Bring Me The Horizon, Oasis, and The Arctic Monkeys. This choice of location reflects Kris’s dedication to producing high-quality music that resonates with a wide audience.
Kris also announces he has been confirmed as the special guest on Lulu’s tour in November. Kris said “I am thrilled to be joining Lulu on her UK tour this November. It will be an incredible honour to share the stage with such a legendary artist. Big shout out to Lulu for this amazing opportunity.”
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RoZe – FANTASY
RoZe announces the release of her stunning debut EP ‘Greener Grass’, due for release on Friday 28th June 2024. The announcement also comes alongside the release of brand new music with her single ‘Fantasy’, stream here.
Across five tracks that range from tender ‘Fantasy’, spunky ‘Survival Mode’ and eccentric ‘Voices In My Head’ the singer’s sleek and syrupy vocals convey the emotional resilience she needed to reach greener pastures. Amidst twinkling soundscapes, zigzagging basslines and snappy beats, the singer reclaims her past and reaffirms her plucky spirit. “We obviously all know the saying about greener grass – it means a better place,” she says.
Following from her debut single ‘Hollow’, new track ‘Fantasy’ is a dreamy outpouring of RoZe’s emotional vulnerability, which interprets the toxicity of a relationship. Laden with floating melodies, lulling piano strokes and soft synth patterns, the sonics marry the illusion felt within the message of the song harmonically.
Talking about the track, RoZe says: “This song is about questioning whether your relationship with someone is real or a dream, a fantasy. Although sometimes you do know that someone isn’t going to make you happy, you’re still holding onto that delusional idea of being with them. This song is based on the relationship of my Mom and Dad, from my Mom’s perspective.”
ELLES BAILEY – IF THIS IS LOVE
Following on from winning ‘Live Act Of The Year’ at the UK Americana Awards 2024 and ‘Vocalist Of the Year’ at the UK Blues Awards 2024, Elles Bailey returns with new music ‘If This Is Love’. The track is the third to be taken from her forthcoming album Beneath The Neon Glow, which comes August 9th on Cooking Vinyl Records.
A raw and soulful banger, ‘If This Is Love’ is Elles’ angry love song. Full of sass and taking the power back from heartbreak, Elles’ stunning vocals sit beautifully on top of the blues driven guitar. “I love the expression ‘when you like a flower, you just pluck it, but when you love a flower, you water it daily. The latter allows the flower to grow and blossom, whilst the former allows it to wither and die.’” Elles says. “This song is written about someone who trampled all over my heart and I totally lost who I was in that relationship. And if I am being honest, I never actually walked away, so I decided to re-write that story 14 years later, and this time I am the one who walks away!” Listen to ‘If This Is Love’ HERE.
BEN PLATT – HONEYMIND
Ben Platt releases his highly anticipated new album Honeymind. The third album from the Tony®, GRAMMY®, and Emmy® winner, Honeymind features previously released singles “Andrew,” “Cherry On Top,” and “Treehouse” featuring GRAMMY®-winning Americana icon — and songwriter of the Tony®-winning Broadway musical Shucked — Brandy Clark. Honeymind is available now in the UK HERE.
Platt also shares a video to an acoustic performance of the song, and focus track for the album, “Before I Knew You.” An ode to his fiancé actor Noah Galvin, the clip was shot in Brooklyn, NY.
Platt kicked off his residency at Broadway’s newly refurbished Palace Theatre (West 47th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) this past Tuesday, May 28th with a spectacular performance that featured songs from all three of his albums, plus other material, and a special guest – GRAMMY® winner Kacey Musgraves who joined Ben in a rendition of “Rainbow.” Additional guests this week included Kristin Chenoweth and Leslie Odom Jr. with more surprises to come. The residency, directed by Tony Award winner Michael Arden who collaborated with Platt on the 2023 Tony Award-winning revival of Parade which also earned Platt a Tony nomination, will play through Saturday, June 15 for 18 performances only with a special guest each night.
JEFF GOLDBLUM – LOVER & TATTOO
Jeff Goldblum reveals two brand new singles featuring singer, songwriter & actress Haley Reinhart. Accompanied by his long-time band The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, the duo are covering Taylor Swift’s classic hit “Lover” & Loreen’s “Tattoo”, out digitally today via Decca Records. Physical 7-inch copies of the two tracks single will also be available on September 7th, and can be pre-ordered here.
Speaking about the release, Jeff Goldblum says: “With apologies to Sammy Cahn, recording with Haley is even lovelier the second time around. She interprets Taylor Swift and Loreen with her own unique style and skill to make it sound like it’s the first time you hear these love songs sung.”
Following the release of their latest EP ‘Plays Well With Others’, Jeff & the band toured across US & Europe, during which they performed short renditions of “Lover” and “Tattoo”. With each show, the band’s interpretation evolved, increasingly making them our own, much to the audience’s delight. Naturally when the opportunity arose to record new music, they opted to create full arrangements of both songs. Haley Reinhart, with her profound understanding of both pop and jazz genres, was the ideal vocalist to enhance these recordings.
Jeff Goldblum has been playing the piano for most of his life, and performing with his band for the past 30 years, but it was only when he accompanied soul-jazz star Gregory Porter on BBC’s Graham Norton Show that the actor’s distinctive style and natural feel for the instrument caught the attention of Decca Record executives, who suggested he make an album. After a run of glowing reviews in the press followed by packed live shows in prestigious jazz clubs and venues in London, Paris and Berlin, Goldblum landed a No.1 jazz album in both the UK and US with his record ‘The Capitol Studios Sessions’, followed up by another No.1 album ‘I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This’.
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